Creators of the world's most realistic meat alternative, THIS™, are collaborating with Italian-to-Go brand, Coco di Mama, to create a plant-based bacon sandwich that tastes, looks and has the texture of actual bacon sandwiches (& customers can’t tell the difference).

The sandwich is also “nutritionally proven to be better for a hangover than a real bacon sandwich” - Dr Magda Robinson, UK trained medical doctor.

Launching September 11thin all Coco di Mama stores in London

The vegan THIS™ Isn’t Bacon sandwich is available in 23 Coco di Mama stores across London for £2.95 – (see locations and opening times via www.cocodimama.co.uk).It is also available to deliver direct to your home or office via Coco Delivers or on Deliveroo (from Weds 11th September).

Nutritionally proven to be better for hangovers

Dr Robinson says:

The THIS™ Isn’t Bacon sandwich is nutritionally proven to be better for a hangover than a real bacon sandwich.Thenutrition is vastly superior to bacon– I’m especially impressed at the extremely low levels of fat and saturated fat and the much lower levels of salt. The high protein content makes it very filling.

Being nitrite and nitrate-free means that it won’t increase the risk of bowel and stomach cancer like processed meat does: Bacon is now a Group 1 carcinogen (known to cause cancer). The nitrites and nitrates of processed meat are broken down into N-nitroso compounds which damage the bowel cells and cause cancer.

Georgina (Coco di Mama customer): “THIS™ is a gamechanger – there’s not any other ‘bacon’ sandwiches out there that are vegan and THIS™ is so realistic. I think meat eaters will be really impressed – I think it’s going to be one of those alternatives where they can’t tell the difference. It’s nice to have an actual roll that tastes meaty like THIS™ when you’re hungover!”

Sara McCraight, Head of Brand at Coco di Mama, says: “We’re so excited to be the first UK brand to serve the THIS Isn’t Bacon sandwich which not only tastes GREAT but is also better for your hangover, better for your health and better for the environment. At Coco di Mama, we’re already known for our great breakfast baguettes, so adding a vegan option makes complete sense. Our plant-friendly customers told us that the thing they miss the most is the ‘dirty’ bacon sandwich…and now they can have it!”.

Andy Shovel, Co-Founder of THIS, says: “Launching the UK’s first vegan bacon sandwich with Coco di Mama is exciting new territory for us. THIS™ aims to be the go-to plant-based brand for meat-lovers and our partnership with Coco is the perfect way to branch out into breakfast. The THIS™ Isn’t Bacon sandwich is nutritionally proven to be better for hangovers and we’re glad that we can be there for the nation in their times of hungover-need – and we’re pretty sure they won’t tell the difference.”

The vegan THIS™ Isn’t bacon sandwich is also:

Ridiculously high in protein– 12g and 21% of RDI for men. THIS™ packs more protein than: lentils, tofu, seitan, tempeh, most actual cuts of meat, pretty much all vegetables

Nitrate-free (nitrates are in pork-based bacon and can cause cancer)

Fortified with Iron & Vitamin B12

Antibiotic-free and GMO-free

Winner of Great Taste Award 2019

THIS™ Isn’t Bacon has been awarded a 2019 Great Taste Award- one judge said 'THIS™ is “like methadone for ex-bacon loving vegetarians!'”

Perfect alternative for meat eaters, meat-reducers, vegans and those with dietary restrictions due to religious beliefs: Schesche, 42, who can’t eat pork for religious reasons so has never eaten bacon says:“I have never been able to eat bacon due to my religious beliefs, so THIS™ is crazy. THIS™ is just what I imagine bacon to taste like – smells the same and looks the same”.

Following two years of research and development, partnering with world-leading texture scientists and flavourists, THIS™ mimics meat in taste, texture, appearance and smell, but without the ethical or environmental impact, instead using peas and soya beans as the base.

Only the products that can truly fool a carnivoreinto thinking they’re eating meat make the final cut.

THIS™ challenges legacy “plant-based meat” brands by targeting meat-reducers as opposed to purely vegans. With a core belief that meat-eaters shouldn’t have to compromise if they want to cut down on meat, the brand is bold, modern, & rebellious – without making judgement on consumers’ eating habits.

Love of bacon is one of the main reasons cited by meat eaters for not reducing meat-intake. THIS™ Isn’t Bacon is the first product that can be used interchangeably with real bacon without making any sacrifices flavour-wise.

THIS™ Eco credentials

THIS™ has significantly less water consumption, standing at 121L per kg, compared to 4184L for beef and 1782L for pork

Its longer shelf-life than meat further helps reduce food waste

All ingredients are sustainably sourced

About Coco di Mama

Coco di Mama is the leading Italian-to-go brand, delivering the fresh flavours of Italy, pronto! The brand is most known for ‘the best coffee in the city’ (City AM), and being the ‘masters of fast pasta’ (Evening Standard) and aims to bring you a taste of ‘The Good Life’ to escape from the daily grind.

Coco di Mama have gained a loyal plant-based fanbase as they were the first ‘chain’ brand in London to not charge more for dairy-free milk alternatives, and their delicious vegan alternatives to popular classics include the Vegan Lasagne, Espress’Oats, Vegan Lentil Ragu, and Jack in a Box salad.

With an innovative approach to their menu, the brand sprung to global fame with the polarizing ‘activated-charcoal vegan croissant’’ which definitely ‘tastes better than it looks’ – read more here.

The brand is also pushing forward with an environmental agenda with their recent #pastraw– the Italian solution to single use plastic straws, which was reviewed in the Guardian. Other notable dishes which have gained a fanbase are their Vegan Lasagne, Black Ice Latte, Breakfast Carbonara, Pannetone Brownie and Espress’Oats.

The brand has 23 locations across Central London and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6:30am to 8pm.

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